New trade academy opens

A new trade academy in Whakatane was described by Education Minister Anne Tolley as a vital part of the country's vocational future.
The minister spoke at the launch of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Trades Academy at Waiariki's Whakatane campus on Friday, saying she had no doubt the academy would prove an enormous help to the region.
It is a collaboration between Waiariki Institute of Technology, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi and the seven Eastern Bay of Plenty secondary schools. The academy is the second of eight such initiatives expected to open throughout the country this year.
"I opened the first at Lytton High School in Gisborne last week and will open the third in Wellington hopefully next week," Tolley said.
The Eastern Bay Academy is unique in that it is led by a high school, while the other seven are led by tertiary institutions.
"The aim of academies is to keep kids engaged in education. If they are doing something that interests and excites them, they are more likely to stay in the system.
"Youth unemployment is a huge issue, especially in the Bay, and this is another way to address the issue."
She congratulated Trident High School principal Peter Tootell for the incredible amount of work he and his team had put into the establishment of the academy.
"It was Trident High School's forestry course that provided the kernel I needed to plant the academy seed within my caucus," Tolley said.
Tootell, the driving force behind the academy, said the seven schools involved were excited about the potential of the academy and the opportunities it would provide students.
Addressing the crowd,  he told the 103 students who will attend the academy that success rested with them.
"There's been a lot of hard work to get where we are today, but the power is now in your hands to make it work. We are really pleased you people have decided to make this academy work, congratulations for putting your hands up and saying you wanted to be a part of it."
Waiariki Institute of Technology chief executive Pim Borren described getting behind the academy as a "huge leap of faith" for the polytechnic.
"We've done this with little or no funding, but decided to take the risk as, for us, there are no better pathways for vocational opportunities," Borren said.

He said the Eastern Bay Academy would be used as a role model for future Waiariki academies in Rotorua, Taupo and Tokoroa.
The Whakatane campus will provide two-year tertiary trades programmes in agriculture, automotive skills, business administration, construction, electrical trades, forestry and professional cookery.
Year 12 students will spend one day a week in training and four at school, while Year 13 students spend two days a week in training and the balance at school.